One thing seems reasonably certain as Denver officially enters Week 2 of its search for its next hockey coach – the university wants to hire an established head coach with a winning pedigree.

Nate Leaman

Several sources in the college hockey community, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have said recently that the search has included Providence College coach Nate Leaman, who directed the Friars to the 2015 National championship (and defeated DU in a regional final in the process), UMass-Lowell coach Norm Bazin and Iowa Wild coach Derek Lalonde, a former DU assistant.

In addition, current assistant David Carle and former assistant Steve Miller remain highly viable candidates, but the decision-makers’ desire to land an experienced head coach seems to be the top criteria.

Leaman has led the Friars into the NCAA Tournament each of the past five seasons, and he has a 130-73-36 record in seven seasons at Providence. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons at Union College, going 138-126-35 in seven seasons and taking the Dutchmen to the NCAAs in his final season.

There is some question as to whether or not Leaman, 45, would want to leave a situation in which he has established the Friars as an annual NCAA participant and a title threat in Hockey East. However, Denver is one of a handful of schools with an even higher profile, and one with the resources to potentially make such a move make sense.

If Bazin’s name sounds familiar to DU hockey fans, it should. He was an assistant for eight seasons at Colorado College (2000-08) before spending three seasons in the top job at Division III Hamilton College and the past seven at Lowell, where he directed the RiverHawks to the Frozen Four in 2013. Like Leaman, Bazin, 47,  has had his team in the NCAAs five times during his seven-year tenure in Hockey East.

He has a 141-80-20 record at Lowell.

Derek Lalonde

Lalonde has the most familiarity with the Pioneers, having served as an assistant to George Gwozdecky from 2006-11. From there he won a Clark Cup championship with Green Bay in 2012, when one of his captains was … two-time DU captain Grant Arnold. Carle was an assistant of his for the first half of the 2013-14 season before he was hired by recently departed coach Jim Montgomery.

Lalonde coached Toledo of the ECHL for two seasons, leading them to the playoffs both seasons, and has spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Iowa Wild in the AHL. His pro record is 166-93-37 in the regular season.

Another source said Carle, 28, very much remains in the equation. His success as a recruiter is well known, but several former Pioneers have said his ability to teach and adapt is outstanding and in some ways resembles Montgomery’s.

Miller, who was on Gwozdecky’s staff from 1994-2013 and on Montgomery’s staff during his first season, is an elite recruiter and tactical wizard. Hugely respected in the coaching fraternity, he was on Leaman’s staff in 2014-15, on Air Force’s the next two seasons, the second of which ended in the elite eight, and on Ohio State’s last season, when the Buckeyes reached the Frozen Four.

Opinions varied on whether or not Miller, 52, would want to be the Pioneers’ head coach, but more recently the sentiment seems to be that he has some interest. He also could be a candidate to return in another capacity should Leaman, Lalonde or Carle get the job given that he has worked with all three, including when Carle was a student assistant after his playing career was abruptly halted. Miller’s family remained in Colorado this past year while he was coaching in Columbus, Ohio.

Whichever direction the Pioneers go, it also seems likely that decision could come later this week, according to multiple sources. With recruiting a year-round component and several junior leagues deep into playoffs and several district and junior showcases on deck, time would seem to be of the essence.

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